To Practice This Skill

"Who is Yue Qianchou?" the Master walking ahead asked indifferently. The disciple behind him quickly replied, "Yes, Master!" His voice was extremely respectful, even a bit fawning.

"His aptitude is terrible, only the name is somewhat interesting," the Master nodded, then asked, "Why cultivate immortality?" The disciple immediately replied, "To subdue demons and eliminate devils, uphold justice..."

The Master stopped, turned, and interrupted him, "Don't feed me that useless talk. Answer honestly."

If I tell the truth, and you don't kick me out, I'll tell you... To chase girls, you know? the disciple thought to himself. But on his face, he gave an awkward smile and said, "Master truly has a discerning eye, my little thoughts can't be hidden from you. To chase... to pursue immortality!"

"Hmph!" The Master turned, and the disciple followed. The two, exchanging questions and answers, gradually walked further away.

Through his Master's words, Yue Qianchou gained some understanding of the Qingguang Sect. His Master's name was Hao Sansi, an eighth-generation disciple, of the same generation as Sect Master Liu Changqing. As for those of higher generations, they no longer concerned themselves with mundane affairs and had retreated to the back mountain for secluded cultivation. In fact, Yue Qianchou's generation was quite high. The lowest generation in the Qingguang Sect was the eleventh generation. Upon meeting Yue Qianchou, a ninth-generation disciple, they would have to call him Martial Ancestor Uncle. Hao Sansi had never taken a disciple before; Yue Qianchou was his first.

As soon as he crossed a courtyard wall, Yue Qianchou was startled. Looking around, he saw that the back mountain, along the mountain range, had built over a thousand houses, large and small. To construct such a large complex on such a high mountain required immense power. Yue Qianchou's current evaluation of the Qingguang Sect was just two words: "Rich."

Following the stone path, the architectural style of the houses wasn't uniform; most came with courtyards. The houses and courtyards varied in size. Hao Sansi led Yue Qianchou to a house that wasn't particularly small, with a decent-sized courtyard. Upon entering, Hao Sansi said, "I live here alone, there are plenty of rooms, pick whichever one you like."

Yue Qianchou was dumbfounded as soon as he entered. From the outside, the house looked presentable, but as he got closer, an indescribable smell emanated from it, a smell that was simply unbearable. At that moment, he wondered if this was the legendary smell of elixirs. The scene before him made him disbelieve that this was a place where cultivators lived.

The smell of alcohol, body odor, foot odor, and the stench of various decaying garbage piled up. Looking at the… that… and that… and that. Yue Qianchou couldn't identify what these things were. Piles of dark, black things here and there, stacked so high they almost reached the courtyard wall, emitting a chaotic stench. Not a single blade of grass could be seen in the entire courtyard. He felt an urge to vomit on the spot, but he suppressed it to save face for his Master. He couldn't believe that a living person could let a house become like this!

When his Master told him to pick a room to live in, he nodded tearfully, not out of gratitude, but because he was choked by the stench. To describe it in his own words, it was more stinging to his eyes than cutting onions. At that moment, Yue Qianchou wanted to call his Master a "beast."

Hao Sansi seemed to know what Yue Qianchou was thinking. He brought over a pot of wine, took a swig, and laughed, "It hasn't been cleaned in over a hundred years, just make do with it!"

"Over a hundred years... Holy crap!" Yue Qianchou finally couldn't hold back and ran outside, retching.

For the next half month, Yue Qianchou fully embodied the spirit of hard work and perseverance, sleeping at sunset and working at sunrise. During the day, he acted like a patient turtle, carrying bags of things everyone avoided and throwing them off the cliff. At night, he slept in the wild forest, with the sky as his blanket and the ground as his bed.

Another half month later, the house, washed and cleaned, was completely renewed, with fragrant flowers planted everywhere. Yue Qianchou finally chose a room for himself. The process had been agonizing. He also understood why all the houses within a hundred-meter radius around his Master were empty.

"Smoke rises again, twilight covers the land, I want to ask the wisps of smoke, where are you going? The sunset is poetic, the dusk is picturesque..." In the same courtyard, under the setting sun, wisps of smoke curled upwards. Yue Qianchou hummed a little song, wearing a hat made of banana leaves, busy and happy. On the self-made grill, various items were laid out. He held a brush, dipped it in sauce, and continuously smeared it on the roasting food. During this time, he had been making many strange and unusual things to flatter his Master, the purpose of which was self-evident.

"What nonsensical song are you singing again? It sounds terrible," Hao Sansi cursed with a laugh, holding bamboo skewers threaded with frogs, pheasants, and rabbit meat... An enticing aroma filled the air.

Under the moonlight, on two simple bamboo reclining chairs, an old man and a young man lay, each holding a wine pot and tearing into roasted meat. Between them was a grill, its fire dying down, emitting warmth that gently roasted the already cooked meat. They could easily grab food whenever they wanted, making it extremely convenient.

"Master! Please don't just throw away the used bamboo skewers, cherish my hard work, okay!"

"Heh heh! I'm used to throwing them around, I'll change, I'll change!"

How are my friends from afar! Yue Qianchou lay on the chair, gazing at the starry sky, his heart filled with a thousand emotions. Perhaps because Qingguang Mountain was quite high, the bright, sparkling stars were exceptionally brilliant. He took a swig of wine and asked weakly, "Master! I've been here for three months, when are you going to start teaching me to cultivate!"

From the grill next door, a burp echoed back, "Qianchou! I've told you long ago, your aptitude is too poor, you simply cannot cultivate. Even if I taught you, it would be a wasted effort, just a waste of time. Why are you still not giving up? Do you think Master would lie to you?"

"I'm truly unwilling to accept this! I came with great enthusiasm, but now I'm filled with grief and indignation. Alas! Even the eleventh-generation disciples mock me when they see me. Fine! It doesn't matter, I'll endure it! But when will this kind of life end! Do I not even have a chance to turn things around? Master! Even if it's impossible, you have to let me try! You won't even give me this tiny bit of hope..." As Yue Qianchou spoke, his voice grew softer and softer. Judging by the smell of alcohol, he must have been drunk. He had been like this almost every day recently, getting drunk every night like his Master. In his mumbled words, one could still hear the repeated phrase: "Master! I'm truly unwilling to accept this..."

Hao Sansi let out a light sigh, his drunken eyelids drooping. The two master and disciple began to snore under the brilliant starlight.

As the ground began to faintly whiten, the clouds and mist floating halfway up Qingguang Mountain were already dyed golden yellow by the sun just emerging from the horizon, the clouds and mist surging and adorned with colorful rays. The peak of Qingguang Mountain was the first to be bathed in a golden hue.

Lying on the bamboo chair, Yue Qianchou, who was dreaming of meeting an Immortal sister, was jolted awake by something hitting his chest. He raised his hand to block the golden light illuminating everything. As he sat up, something fell from his body. It was undoubtedly thrown by his Master. Stretching, he casually picked it up. It was a book. Three large characters, 'Mysterious Heaven Skill,' were written on the blue cover. Yue Qianchou glanced at it without much thought. Just as he was about to toss it aside, he froze, looking at it with disbelief. In the lower corner of the cover were two small characters: 'Beginner.'

Wow... Yue Qianchou jumped up with joy. In his hands was the beginner's manual of the Qingguang Sect's 'Mysterious Heaven Skill,' which he had heard about long ago but never had the chance to obtain. After his excitement, he hugged it tightly to his chest. Turning around, he saw his Master, Hao Sansi, smiling at him. Yue Qianchou suddenly found this old man incredibly endearing and was too emotional to speak.

Hao Sansi laughed heartily and walked back into the house, his faint voice drifting out, "Although I haven't taught you much, I know you've been preparing for cultivation these past few months. I believe you can understand this book, so there's no need for me to teach you further! If you have any questions, feel free to come find me anytime."

Yue Qianchou hugged the book, tears welling up in his eyes. He wiped them away and knelt down, kowtowing three times. In life, what could be more joyful than having one's wishes fulfilled? He kowtowed sincerely, and in his heart, he truly regarded Hao Sansi as his Master.

In Yue Qianchou's own room, for nearly a month, he had memorized the introductory cultivation method for the Qi Refining stage until it was second nature. Except when he was hungry, he hardly ever left the courtyard. Hao Sansi, who often pestered him for food, did not disturb him. Practicing according to the manual, one first had to sense the heaven and earth spiritual energy, and then absorb it for one's own use. However, his blockhead body had spent nearly a month without sensing anything, let alone heaven and earth spiritual energy.

Thinking of the Qingguang Sect elders' assessment of him as a waste, he felt a pang of despair. Yet, he refused to give up. If he were the type to retreat in the face of adversity, he wouldn't have become the infamous Guo Laoda in his previous life. There was a line from a TV show that he deeply agreed with... never give up!

Another two months passed, and Yue Qianchou, in his room, became increasingly impatient. There was still no reaction! During this time, he often used the story of the tortoise and the hare to encourage himself. But this feeling of standing still was unbearable for anyone! Feeling that his mindset was off, he decided to stop and go out for a walk to adjust his mood. He believed that eventually, an iron rod could be ground into a needle.

Stretching his limbs, he walked out of the courtyard. Hao Sansi, leaning against the doorway with a wine pot, watched the departing figure and sighed, shaking his head.

The Qingguang Sect had many disciples, and he encountered many familiar and unfamiliar faces along the way. Many people pointed and whispered at him. Yue Qianchou usually didn't go out much, but his reputation as a waste had already spread throughout the entire Qingguang Sect. Those familiar faces naturally had conversations with him, like the two eleventh-generation disciples approaching him now.

One said, "Yo! Martial Ancestor Uncle! Are you full yet?"

The other said, "What are you saying? If Martial Ancestor Uncle isn't full, can't he come out for a stroll? Eating, drinking, and relieving oneself all day, it would be tiresome for anyone! It's okay to skip a meal! Martial Ancestor Uncle, don't you think I'm right?"

The two burst into laughter. This was the kind of conversation he had with those familiar faces. Some masters even used him as a negative example to educate their disciples. Yue Qianchou was long accustomed to this. He gave a wry smile and brushed past the two. For someone who was once aloof and proud, to calmly face these rumors and ridicule, the bitterness was something outsiders could not comprehend. He himself remembered it vividly.

His gaze swept over the many beautiful female disciples of the Qingguang Sect. Yue Qianchou sighed inwardly, but seeing the hint of mockery in their eyes, he could no longer utter the words 'chase girls.' He knew clearly that he had lost that qualification. Even based on appearance, Yue Qianchou's current stinky physique was not up to par! Did he expect to move them with his kindness? Yue Qianchou wasn't that foolish. Or perhaps use the tactic of being shameless and persistent to pester them? Lacking confidence, he disdained to do so. To him, it was no different from begging or seeking pity from others.

In his own words... one can do despicable, shameless, vulgar things, but one cannot be a despicable, shameless, vulgar person. As a person, one must not lose their basic integrity. From this, it could be seen that deep down, Yue Qianchou was still that formidable leader of the Black Society who roamed freely.

His gaze fell upon the long swords carried by passersby, and he secretly envied them. That was the symbol of disciples who had reached the Qi Refining Level Four. The Qi Refining stage had three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Breaking through to Level Four meant reaching the intermediate level. The Qingguang Sect would then issue weapons, a specially made long sword, which was naturally much better than ordinary swords in the secular world.

To avoid those mocking glances, or perhaps as a subconscious escape! Yue Qianchou walked towards the depths of the back mountain. The back mountain was where the reclusive seniors of the Qing Tian Sect lived. Ordinary disciples dared not disturb them there, and he knew this, walking with a faint sense of reverence.

Looking towards the end of the path, there were dozens of ancient buildings hidden among the trees. Yue Qianchou stopped, not daring to go further. Even Sect Master Liu Changqing dared not intrude upon the residences of those seniors. This was his first time reaching this area, and he couldn't go any further; it was not a place he could go. He sighed and turned to return the way he came. After a few steps, he suddenly paused.

What is this? To his side, there seemed to be a deserted forest path extending downwards along the mountain's slope, leading to an unknown destination. If one didn't look carefully, it was hard to tell, but the faint traces of a path could be seen. Yue Qianchou hesitated for a moment, then decided to go and see. Stepping onto the thorny, overgrown path, he cautiously ventured forward.

The mountain path continued downwards. After about half an hour, stone steps appeared underfoot. Wild grass grew in the cracks of the steps, almost completely covering them. The path wound its way, and it was unclear where it led. The surrounding trees were dense and gloomy, and Yue Qianchou had the urge to turn back. But after walking for so long, a sliver of curiosity, coupled with his inability to hold back, urged him to continue.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he heard the sound of flowing water and quickened his pace. Suddenly, the view opened up before him, and he had reached the end of the path. A mist of water greeted him, and what met his eyes was a waterfall cascading down from the cliff. Below it was a pool formed by the constant rush of water from the waterfall.

The area around the pool, situated in a mountain hollow, was clearly a flat ground that had been artificially excavated. A stone tablet, about two meters high, stood by the pool. From Yue Qianchou's perspective, he couldn't tell what was written on the stone tablet. He hurried over.

"Forbidden Zone" were two words carved on the stone tablet, exuding a chilling, blood-red aura.

Yue Qianchou's heart gave a slight jolt, wondering if he had stumbled into a place he shouldn't have. He couldn't help but follow the path beside the stone tablet and saw a dark cave hidden behind the cascading waterfall.

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